<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Night and Day by StarrySerenades</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881460">Night and Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrySerenades/pseuds/StarrySerenades'>StarrySerenades</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Half a Heart [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff, I really really enjoyed creating this one, but I'm happy with it, hope you are too!, in which I finally found the will to sit down and write something, it might not be the most refined, kingdom hearts - Freeform, without spending a month trying to force it out</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:55:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881460</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrySerenades/pseuds/StarrySerenades</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Country of the Musketeers falls to darkness.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Half a Heart [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Night and Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>He was a fool.  A fool to think he could escape the darkness he’d known all along was inevitable.  A fool to believe his heart alone would be enough to defend this world.  A fool to hope that he could abandon all responsibility and simply <em>exist.</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>One task was all he’d needed to accomplish.  Find the keyhole, close it, save the princess, and <em>leave</em>.  That was all Yen Sid had asked of him.  He’d barely known what much of that had meant at the time, which might have served as a worthy excuse for all of this.  Save for the fact that he had, technically, succeeded.  The keyhole had been found, and yet…</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mickey’s master had not accounted for love.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mickey had been afraid. For so long as that keyhole remained open, he had a reason to stay.  He’d been lost in his own guilt, in trying to excuse his selfish desire to remain by Minnie’s side.  So he’d hidden the Keyhole once more and reported back to the sorcerer as though the object of their intrigue was still quite lost.  And as Yen Sid’s inquiries grew more suspicious, Mickey’s reports grew shorter and fewer, until one day they stopped.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The day the sorcerer arrived to confront him was not one the mouse cared to remember, because now, more than ever, he knew he’d been wrong.  Despite every furious argument that Mickey’s actions could doom this world, the little king had refused to listen.  All in the name of love.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>How despicable.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Love would have let Minnie go, would have endured the heartache in order to keep her, and her people, safe.  But instead, Mickey was overcome with pride, convincing himself that his own mediocre skills could protect everyone.  Worst of all, he’d gotten Minnie to believe it too.  Yet she now ran behind him, hand clutching his, and he wondered if she knew just how misplaced her trust had been.  Surely, she had to.  If he could only muster the courage to look back into her eyes, he knew what he would find. Hatred.  Betrayal.  Gone would be the faith which so often had soothed his nightmares.  And it was all his fault.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He had but one thought now.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Save her.  </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Darkness encroached upon them.  Even in the places it hadn’t yet reached shadows loomed, hinting at the oblivion to come.  As they ascended the steps to the palace, a tremor shook.  Horror gripped Mickey’s heart as he felt Minnie’s grip on him slip and he whirled around, catching her hands just as the ground beneath her crumbled and gave way to nothingness.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ve got ya!” he shrieked over the deafening roar of oncoming darkness, using every ounce of his strength to pull her back up and onto the staircase.  She yelped and held on with an iron grip before flinging herself into Mickey’s arms the moment she reached solid ground.  Both trembled beside one another, eyes locked on the endless chasm that now loomed beneath them.  “We…we don’t…we don’t have much time…” Mickey shuddered as he spoke.  “We gotta keep goin’…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Minnie nodded.  Her eyes were clouded, near expressionless as she gazed out at the now-empty world. The castle behind them was all that remained of her kingdom.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But even as they started up the stairs, a low rumble shook in their ears.  Mickey tightened his grip on Minnie, expecting another quake, but it never came.  It was only then, after a moment of suspenseful anticipation, that he happened to glance back at the void.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That could have easily been the end.  A tidal wave of writhing beasts, illuminated only by the sickly yellow light of their eyes, prepared to rush over them.  Minnie, still overcome with the sight of her world’s demise, didn’t move and Mickey threw himself over her, shutting his eyes to prepare for the worst.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But it never came.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Allowing himself a swift peak, he spotted the bluish light of an enchanted shield before them and nearly sobbed from pure relief, recognizing that magic instantly.  “Donald!”  His voice was so hoarse, racked with fatigue and emotion, that it could have rivaled the incoherency of his feathered friend’s.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Your Majesty!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Light flickered about the magician’s staff, just barely keeping the horde at bay.  “Goofy’s waiting with everyone in the Throne Room! Are ya comin’?!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mickey picked himself off the ground and helped Minnie to do the same, moving to rush after the duck. But reaching the door, he stopped in his tracks. “No…” he uttered quietly, looking over his shoulder at the barrier, which was now beginning to shatter.  “No more running.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Your Majesty?!” Donald quacked.  “What’s the big idea?!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Minnie, who had until now seemed to have been locked in something akin to a trance, blinked and looked up at her lover, releasing a quiet whisper.  “…Mickey?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The mouse narrowed his eyes and reached into his pocket, pulling out the Star Shard that had taken them so long to retrieve and handing it over to Donald.  “Take Minnie and get her and her people outta here—you know where to go.  Make sure everyone’s joinin’ hands so no one gets left behind.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“WHAT?!”  Donald jumped in a flurry of panic.  “What about you?!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That barrier’s not gonna hold for as long as ya need it to.”  He turned away, shoving every ounce of emotion into the deepest parts of his heart for fear it might overcome him, and summoned his keyblade.  “I’ll hold ‘em off.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Though Donald opened his mouth to protest, Mickey shot him a glance the duck barely ever saw, and he knew at once not to argue.  “Yes…Your Majesty…” he quietly agreed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>At this point, Minnie’s stupor began to crumble.  Donald had already begun to lead her into the castle without struggle, but she now looked back upon Mickey with curious eyes.  Those eyes studied him for several moments, watching as he turned away. Then slowly, just as the castle gates began to close, they followed him to the barrier. And suddenly, the haze shattered.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The last thing Mickey heard before the gates slammed shut was her voice, shrieking his name.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He choked back tears, refusing to give way to emotion, and stuck his feet to the stone below him.  Enemies loomed above, writhing on the other side of the barrier, preparing to strike him.  Compared to the size of this horde, Mickey was nothing.  But that wasn’t going to stop him from doing everything he could to hold them back.  After all, he didn’t need to stop them…just keep them at bay.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Five. </em>He shifted his stance.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Four. </em>He swallowed his fear.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Three.  </em>His tail lashed behind him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Two.  </em>He thought of Minnie, and prayed she would be safe.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>One.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Words cannot begin to describe the hellish noise that came when the barrier shattered, and the creatures broke through.  But Mickey didn’t flinch.  As the first wave swarmed before him, he lifted his keyblade and slashed it through the air, bringing upon them a great wave of light.  Their ranks, if they could even be called that, faltered, and Mickey continued. This worked for several seconds, but their numbers quickly became far too great.  He was forced to begin falling back, as slowly as he could manage, slicing at the monsters as they came from every side.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He’d hoped the door would deter them some, but was dismayed to find that the first creature who slipped by him slid beneath it easily.  The mouse shouted in frustration, using a burst of magic to swing the doors open and go after it before it could get too far.  But catching it was a short-lived victory, as every inch he’d abandoned to chase after the one escapee was an inch the others had gained.  He was now about halfway to the throne room, with a wave a darkness encroaching upon him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Now or never…</em> he thought, sensing the warmth of light from further down the hall, and realizing his friends were beginning to use the star shard.  Both sadness and relief flooded his chest.  <em>Nothing left to lose.  </em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He dug into the deepest reaches of his heart and began casting spell after spell of the most powerful magic he could think of.  The creatures disappeared in vast pools, but as Mickey’s energy waned, the less of a difference this made.  They came too quickly and before he knew it, he was overcome.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The heartless swarmed and, as he lifted his keyblade to cast a spell, they struck him.  Mickey gasped as he felt himself flung against a wall, and his weapon clattered to the floor.  Hazy exhaustion and pain threatened to overtake his consciousness but he fought it with every ounce of his being, though he knew what came next.  And as the heartless drew together, preparing to deliver a fatal blow, he closed his eyes and wondered what it would feel like to have his life taken by creatures of darkness, and hoped beyond all hope he would not join their ranks.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But what happened next was far worse than even that.  For as they dove in to pierce his heart, Mickey felt a burst of energy ripple through the air.  He opened his eyes to see a keyblade lifted into the sky and bursting with light, its wielder glancing back at him with fire in her gaze.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>No, no, no… </em>She was supposed to be gone, safe in Mickey’s own kingdom.  Not here, <em>anywhere </em>but here where escape was now impossible.  “Minnie, I-!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Shut it!” she hissed, whirling around to join him.  Thrusting out a hand, she yanked him to his feet.  Her teeth were bared, fury blazing from her eyes as she stared him down.  If she hadn’t been angry before, she certainly was now.  “I just lost my kingdom, <em>my home.  </em>How dare you expect me to lose you too?!”  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Before he could argue, she had pulled him in and pressed her lips against his.  In the brief moment they stood together, everything else seemed to fade.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re all I have,” Minnie whispered at last as she pulled away.  “I won’t leave you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A thousand questions swarmed through his head but Mickey, dazed as he was by the kiss, had enough sense to know there was no use arguing with her now.  So he simply squeezed her as tightly as he dared, nuzzling against her cheek. “Stay alive,” he murmured, knowing how unlikely that was for either of them, then clutched her hand and turned back to the heartless who had begun to creep upon them once again.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They fought back to back, defending the small sliver of the world that remained.  Where one failed, the other jumped in.  When one’s strength began to fade, the other picked up the pace, shielding their companion just long enough for them to recover.  They fought thousands of the creatures, keyblades slicing through the air so quickly they could hardly be discerned from mere flashes of light.  Had this been any usual battle, they may well have succeeded in beating back the enemy.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But it was not, and victory over this world had already been claimed by the dark.  Both Mickey and Minnie knew this and as they grew tired, the reality of their fate crept in.  “Minnie, I’m so sorry,” Mickey breathed as they lowered their weapons and slowly backed away from the horde.  A wall towered behind them, leaving them with nowhere to run.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Stop that.”  Her grip tightened on the hilt of her blade, a sunrise pink flecked with gold dust, and Mickey wondered briefly when she’d learned to wield the weapon.  “Listen, I…I’ve known for longer than you think.”  She took a deep breath and turned to him, lifting a hand to his cheek. There was a tenderness in her melancholy smile.  “Your friend told me everything, and he gave me a choice…he told me what could happen if you stayed.  And he told me that he knew you would leave if I asked.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mickey’s eyes widened. “Do ya mean…ya talked to Yen Sid?!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Minnie nodded, averting his gaze.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Gosh…” Mickey breathed. He watched the darkness before them grow and flinched when he felt his fingertips brush up against the wall behind them.  “Bet he hates me now. Min, I should’ve list-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He doesn’t,” Minnie replied before he could finish.  “He believes you think more with your heart than with your head.  And that…I’m a lot like you.” She let out a quiet breath.  “I couldn’t bear the thought of you leaving, so I told him to teach me so I could help you protect this world.  I made the same mistake you did, but…Mickey…” At this, she straightened her back, regaining a sense of regality and responsibility.  Her crown had fallen long ago but she didn’t need it to stand firm, every inch a queen. “This world was never yours to protect. It <em>was </em>mine.”  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Min…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Both of them were hard pressed against the wall now and she looked at him with a sad sparkle in her eyes that he didn’t yet understand.  “Thank you for everything.”  Her hand brushed against his as she stole another kiss.  But as Mickey let the grip on his blade falter, ready to savor this as his final moment, he felt the key ripped from his grasp and the pressure of a spell pinning him against the wall.  Minnie pulled back, his blade glinting in her once-free hand.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, “But this was never your fight.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Keyblades are linked to the heart of their wielder which is why, in most cases, an individual can possess only one of their own.  That blade resonates with the heart, feeds it power, and knows its limitations. So, when wielding a blade not one’s own, the power that is used can become reckless, defiant, and uncontrolled.  And when using <em>two</em>, one of the wielder’s own possession and the other of one belonging to another heart, the blades will clash.  The resulting power is unimaginable, unmatched, and holds the ability to tear open gateways that otherwise may have remained out of reach. But, with all this power, it is unable to be harnessed…</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Safely.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mickey knew this and, judging from the final glance she sent his way, it seemed as though Minnie did too. She had planned this.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Minnie, NO!” he screeched, struggling against the spell.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But he was far too late to stop her.  Facing the heartless horde, she lifted the two keys above her head—one of night, the other gleaming with the light of daybreak--and struck them together in an “x” over her head.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Energy flooded the darkness, streaking through the air like lightning bolts in a grand and thundering storm. Countless heartless vanished instantly, taken by the wave of illumination whose brightness even Mickey had to shut his eyes against.  And in the midst of it all, just in front of where Minnie stood, the darkness parted as if a knife had sliced its way through the fabric of shadow itself.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The heat grew nearly unbearable as Mickey opened his eyes, still screaming her name as if that would do any good.  He could sense his consciousness fading but refused to give way to it just yet.  He needed to see her through this, needed to have hope she might still be okay.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The light from the blades flickered and began to fade, and Mickey watched as Minnie’s hands slowly lowered. Hope persisted in his mind.  But then he spotted the faintly glowing heart hovering just above her body.  It wavered for a moment, trembling with the strength of the power that had coursed through it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And then it shattered.</p>
</div><div class=""><p>The girl collapsed just as a silhouette stepped through the gateway she had opened, catching her before she fell into oblivion.  But Mickey, overcome with grief, hardly noticed.  He seemed only able to watch that moment replaying itself in his head over and over again, persisting even as his strength left him and the world dissolved into an empty grey.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~</p>
<p></p><div class=""><p>“She’s only sleeping.”</p></div><div class=""><p>That’s what the sorcerer had told Mickey, not that it made a difference.  It was an endless sleep.  Minnie lay before him, pale and lifeless, slight breaths the only sign that she was, technically, still alive.  But it was little comfort.  As far as he knew, she was trapped in vacant oblivion forevermore, all because of him.</p></div><div class=""><p>Yen Sid entered the room every now and then, playing the part of the host, a role he rarely stepped into. But he hardly had much of a choice in this matter.  Mickey, whose own body was significantly far from “fully recovered” had not moved more than a few steps in weeks and was not likely to do much of anything to take care of himself.  </p></div><div class=""><p>The what-were-you-thinking’s and I-told-you-so’s had been carefully omitted from the sorcerer’s dialogue when Mickey had finally woken up.  It was not often he refrained from any language he felt necessary, and certainly not for the sole purpose of saving one’s feelings.  But he could not deny the care he felt for the mouse, and he could sense the fragility of his former apprentice’s heart each time he drew near. The food and drink he left lay untouched day after day, and as Mickey’s already weakened body grew thin, Yen Sid’s concern secretly grew. </p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey himself couldn’t have described what he was feeling.  At some point amidst the screams and tears he had shuttered his emotions and now sat silently, empty and unfeeling, numb to the world.  The only sign of emotion came when he accidentally dozed off every other day or so, upon which the memories of Minnie’s final words and her shattered heart plagued his nightmares.  Often, Yen Sid had to interrupt such dreams for fear his apprentice would fall so deeply into panic that he would never awake.  </p></div><div class=""><p>It was about two weeks after Mickey’s wakening when Yen Sid finally sat beside him.  The mouse’s breathing had begun to change, growing more labored by the day and without any real will to survive, it was apparent he was not going to last much longer.”</p></div><div class=""><p>“Mickey,” the sorcerer said plainly after several moments in silence.  </p></div><div class=""><p>The mouse only stared straight ahead, without so much of a flicker of his tail.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“<em>Mickey,</em>” he repeated, though this time without the hint of kindness that lay within his first. This was the word spoken of a teacher or parent, whose charge stubbornly ignored their first call.</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey wrinkled his nose and shifted in his seat, still refusing to look in Yen Sid’s direction.</p></div><div class=""><p>At this, Yen Sid stood and spoke in a low, rumbling voice as he made towards the door. “Pity her sacrifice was so foolishly wasted.”  It was not intended to be cruel, but just sharp enough to wake the mouse from his self-loathing daze.  </p></div><div class=""><p>Sure enough, Mickey whirled around, eyes ablaze.  “She wasn’t foolish!” he shouted.  The words were clumsy, the first he’d spoken in weeks.</p></div><div class=""><p>“Oh?”  Yen Sid had expected this reaction, had counted on it. Should the mouse refuse to face his own self-pity, he would inevitably drown in it.  “Then please, do explain to me what it is you’re doing that was so worth the loss of her heart.”</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey opened his mouth to argue, then shut it, the fire fading from his face.  “I..!  I..I don’t know…” He shut his eyes and turned back to Minnie’s bedside, daring to grasp her hand for the first time in days.  She was cold, and Mickey shuddered at the touch.  “I don’t know why she saved me.  I wish she hadn’t.”</p></div><div class=""><p>Yen Sid placed his hand on the doorframe and looked down his nose at the mouse in that scrutinizing fashion Mickey had come to know him by.  “Perhaps she recognized that there is more to your light than meets the eye.”  And before Mickey could question this statement, the master was gone.  </p></div><div class=""><p>The clock ticked quietly as Mickey stared at Minnie’s sleeping face, thinking on what the sorcerer had told him.  He really, truly, hated to admit it, but Yen Sid was right.  Whatever the reason, Minnie had saved him, and he’d been wasting that gift.  That realization stung more than he thought it would.  And so, leaving a gentle kiss on Minnie’s cheek, Mickey finally resolved he would do so no longer. </p></div><div class=""><p>He stood, steadying himself with the back of his chair as he was confronted with the weeks of neglect he had put his own body through.  The dizziness that met him almost instantly was nauseating, and it took several long moments for him to fully stand.  When the spinning finally ended and Mickey could see (somewhat) clearly once more, he blinked and took in his bearings.  Even after such a time spent in this room he hardly knew it at all, having been so focused on wallowing in self pity that anything more than Minnie’s bedside was a strange and unfamiliar realm.</p></div><div class=""><p>Almost.  </p></div><div class=""><p>Slowly he came to realize it was not so foreign as he first believed.  There was the bed by the window, looking out on an endless sea of stars. The wardrobe full of what he assumed were several red robes, all far too small to fit much of anyone anymore (a prideful exaggeration on Mickey’s part, as he’d just barely grown an inch since wearing them last.)  The looking glass above the fire, which had been the object of more than one vivid dream. And the bookshelf, full of spellbooks and history, yes, but legends and fairytales too.  This was the place from which he’d taken story after story, filling his head to the brim with fantastical adventures.  He chuckled as he remembered trying to bring several of those stories to life, and was thrilled to find the hole he’d managed to place in the wall near the door was still there, albeit haphazardly hidden by a single coat of plaster.</p></div><div class=""><p>This room was his, left nearly untouched.  Full of memories and imagination and dreams of “Happily Ever After.”</p></div><div class=""><p>…Happily Ever After…</p></div><div class=""><p>He glanced at himself in the mirror, narrowing his eyes at the figure he saw staring back.  He hardly recognized himself.</p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>Perhaps she saw there is more to your light than meets the eye.</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>When had he ever accepted life for what it was?  When his world remained bare, he had found its color.  When the stars began fading, he’d left everything behind to find out <em>why.</em></p></div><div class=""><p>Minnie was still alive, and that was all he needed.</p></div><div class=""><p>He straightened, and as he turned his back on the mirror he remembered what Minnie had told him the night he’d revealed the truth.  Except now, as he looked back, he realized she’d known all along.  And he wondered if, in speaking those words, she’d known of something he did not.</p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>“If your heart isn’t enough, then you can have mine…”</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>“…and together they will be,” Mickey finished out loud.  </p></div><div class=""><p>A smile unfurled on his lips as he practically bounded into the washroom, ready to erase the remnants of what he’d become.  </p><p> </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <strong> ~~~</strong>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>“Tell mah abut shish shpell!”  </p></div><div class=""><p>Yen Sid looked up from his desk, eyebrows raised as crumbs fell upon the book he was writing in.  Mickey was leaning over his shoulder, chewing noisily on several pieces of toast at once as he shoved his own book atop the sorcerer’s and pointed to a lengthy page.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“Would you like to repeat that?”</p></div><div class=""><p>“AH SHAID-“</p></div><div class=""><p>“<em>After </em>you finish chewing.”</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey rolled his eyes and swallowed, probably more than he should have at once.  “I said, ‘Tell me about this spell!’”</p></div><div class=""><p>It was all Yen Sid could do to maintain his stoic expression, more than glad to see the mouse with light in his eyes once again.  Brushing the crumbs from the pages, he leaned in to take a closer look at the one now smeared with Mickey’s buttery fingerprints.</p></div><div class=""><p>His optimism faded.</p></div><div class=""><p>“So?  What d’ya think?  Could it work?!”</p></div><div class=""><p>He ran his fingers through his beard.  “Well yes, perhaps, but…”</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey leapt off the table, punching the air.  “I knew it!” he laughed, twirling about the room.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“Mickey, I understand you want to help her-“</p></div><div class=""><p>“And now I can!” Mickey interrupted before he could finish.  “Gosh, and t’think it was right under my nose this whole time!  Didja know this was on my bookshelf?”</p></div><div class=""><p>“It certainly wasn’t my intention to leave it there.  Mickey, listen-“</p></div><div class=""><p>“Do y’think I shou-“</p></div><div class=""><p>“<em>Mickey!” </em>Yen Sid stood abruptly and the table shook as a pulse of magic raced through the room, extinguishing several candles.  Mickey stopped, excitement on pause as he looked at the Keyblade Master through the starlight.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“What…what’s wrong?”</p></div><div class=""><p>The sorcerer’s voice boomed like thunder.  “Do you even understand what you intend to do?  Do you know what it will cost you?  You may care for this girl, but <em>ripping your heart in two </em>to save her?  <em>If </em>you were to survive, a change so severe would alter you forever.  Your magic will never be as powerful.  Your strength will often fail you.  Death will be nipping at your heels with every step.  Every ounce of vigor you have will be used to keep her half shining. Is all of that worth it to you?”</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey blinked.  The child that existed there only moments ago had suddenly shifted into something stronger, braver, and wiser.  And as he spoke, the sorcerer realized Mickey knew perfectly well the cost of his request. “No question.”</p></div><div class=""><p>A startled breath escaped Yen Sid’s mouth before he gathered himself, still staring at Mickey with piercing eyes.  He had been so convinced that the little child with light in his heart and magic in his eyes was to be the subject of something far greater.  Every hint of the future had led back to him.  And yet here he was now, asking for help in a decision that could cost him his life.  If the sorcerer had his way, this possibility would be ripped from the pages of the book and tossed to the flames.</p></div><div class=""><p>But this mouse was no longer his apprentice, and the decision was not his to make.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“Very well.”</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey grinned and rushed forward, clutching the sorcerer’s robes in the closest thing to a hug he could manage among someone so much larger than himself.  “Thank you!”</p></div><div class=""><p>Yen Sid laid a gentle hand between Mickey’s ears and, though his face lay void as ever, he felt in his heart that he was dooming his own child to die.  He was thankful, then, when Mickey raced off to rest, so that he would not be present when his own master’s stark demeanor fell to pieces.</p><p> </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <strong>~~~</strong>
    </p><p> </p></div><div class=""><p>He had to admit he was frightened.  Standing before Yen Sid, who quietly prepared his hat and spellbook, Mickey felt a twinge of nervousness.  He questioned the strength of his heart, whether or not his light would be enough, if his body could even withstand what it was about to endure.  If any part of him proved too weak, the spell would fail and…</p></div><div class=""><p>…and he would die.</p></div><div class=""><p>He squeezed his hands into fists as the thought passed through his head.  But one look at Minnie and he was reminded of his goal.  He would be enough.  He <em>had </em>to be.  For her.</p></div><div class=""><p>“Are you ready?”</p></div><div class=""><p>Yen Sid’s voice broke Mickey from his thoughts.</p></div><div class=""><p>“Ye…yeah, I think so.”</p></div><div class=""><p>Yen Sid nodded and drew in a deep breath.  Energy sparked within his fingers, countless colors swirling in his palm.  Mickey knew better than to fall for their beauty.  In only a moment, those bolts of light would be piercing his heart.  After a moment, Yen Sid opened his eyes and looked to Mickey for a sign.</p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey swallowed, heart pounding wildly within his chest, and nodded.</p></div><div class=""><p>There is a type of pain that is so horrible, it turns to nothingness in your head.  This is the sort of pain that Mickey felt when the spell struck him.  For a brief moment, his chest burned and he screamed in protest of the agony as he fell to his hands and knees.  Then there was nothing.  A coolness settled over his mind and that was all.  And yet somehow he knew it was not reality.  He could feel his body writhing, feel the sweat soaking his fur and lungs gasping for air.  But the pain itself refused to register.</p></div><div class=""><p>And then came a snap from within his chest.  His body went ice cold and the fog about his thoughts thickened.  Something left him and all at once, he felt very, very alone, an overwhelming sense of abandonment flooding his soul.  And when the cold grew, he knew that he was fading.  There was no fighting it now; every bit of strength had been drained from him.  So he lay in what felt like the arctic, seeing nothing but white before his eyes as he felt his breathing slow.  </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>I’m sorry, Minnie.  I’m not...strong enough...</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>…</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>…</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>…</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>”I..s…kay…m….r”</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>“..ck..y!”</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>“w…ke…p”</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>
      <em>“It’s okay, it’s okay!”</em>
    </p></div><div class=""><p>Heat suddenly replaced the chill in Mickey’s mind and he jolted, flames racing through his chest.  He gasped as this happened, thrown at once back to the plane of the world he knew. His chest heaved, deep, prolonged wheezes sounding from within as he tried desperately to pull in air.  And slowly, as consciousness spread, he became aware of the endless apology cycling across his tongue.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“<em>I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..!”</em></p></div><div class=""><p>“<em>Mickey…Mickey, shhh…” </em>came the gentle voice, as persistent as his own words.  But as he heard them, truly <em>heard </em>them, he managed to tell his mind to quiet, and felt a coolness against his cheek.  “That’s it…” the voice breathed.  He didn’t know why, but it made him want to smile.  The pain began to ebb, and Mickey’s breathing steadied as he felt a tender hand stroke his face.  </p></div><div class=""><p>Without truly knowing why, he opened his mouth and uttered, “Minnie…”  The word struck his mind as it left his lips.  “Minnie…” He breathed the word again, savoring its sound.  Then, as the scent of peppermint flooded his senses, he remembered why he loved that word so much.  “Minnie!” he cried, eyes flying open.</p></div><div class=""><p>She stood over him, a tearful smile painted across her face.  “It’s me,” she whispered, hand still pressed against his cheek.  “I’m here!”  </p></div><div class=""><p>Mickey let out a trembling breath and laughed, tears streaking his face as he gazed up at her with disbelief.  “It…worked…” He shook as he struggled to push himself up, and gripped the place where his heart lay as a pain shot through it.  Worry flashed across Minnie’s face and she caught him before he fell back, letting him instead rest upon her chest.  </p></div><div class=""><p>“Be careful!” she cried. “Yen Sid told me what you did.  That was-”</p></div><div class=""><p>“Exactly…what you…would’ve done.” Mickey shuddered as a flood of coughs racked his body.  Minnie flinched and began rubbing his back, hoping to sooth the fit.</p></div><div class=""><p>But she couldn’t argue.</p></div><div class=""><p>“You’re right,” she laughed, a sound as shy and gentle as winter bells, and fingered the place on her chest where half his heart now rested inside, linked with the shards that remained of her own.  It was warm and comforting, a gentle reminder of Mickey’s love.  But even as Mickey rested against her, she could feel his half shuddering with every heartbeat, and it terrified her near to death. “But, Mickey…”</p></div><div class=""><p>“Don’t worry.  We’ll find a way…t’gether.”  Mickey squeezed her hands and nuzzled into her neck, fatigue overcoming him.  For once, content in the arms of love revived, he didn’t feel the need to fight it.  It was not long before he had fallen fast asleep, soothed by the stroke of her fingers through his fur.</p></div><div class=""><p>“Yes,” she breathed.  “Together.”</p></div></div>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>